Echo News

Bank staff raise £6k for keyhole surgery

STAFF from the Royal Bank of Scotland have raised £6,000 for an appeal to pay for a state-ofthe- art £600,000 keyhole surgery theatre at Southend Hospital.

RBS staff put on their workout gear to take part in the hospital’s Around the World in 80 Days static cycle challenge, to raise funds the Keyhole cancer appeal, backed by the Echo.

Staff cycled a 3,500 miles between – a significant chunk of the foundation’s 24,901.55 mile target total.

The bikes were based at RBS, in Westcliff, for nine days and individuals peddled as fast and long as they could.

They also held an office dressdown day.

Mick Davey, business support analyst, and Stacey Hadley, fraud manager, headed up the team.

Ms Hadley said: “It was a great experience to be part of such a wonderful charity campaign.

Everyone was so enthusiastic and willing to get involved.

“We spent over 221 hours on the bikes with more than 100 people taking part, so it really shows this cause is at the heart of many people.”

Mr Davey added: “What an amazing bunch of communityminded people we have here. It just goes to show what can be achievedwhen working together.”

Elise Fleetwood, events and corporate relations manager at the hospital, said: “I want to say a huge thank you to the team at RBS. They worked so hard to recruit many cyclists and created such a fantastic atmosphere throughout this part of the challenge.

“We really do appreciate the time and effort that was put in.

The incredible amount of miles they cycled has given our challenge a big boost.”

The Keyhole Cancer Appeal needs to raise £600,000 for a new operating theatre at the hospital.

The Around the World in Eighty Days challenge is inspired by Jules Verne’s classic story. Five bikes are visiting different areas around south Essex.

Individuals or groups of friends can take part and cycle the equivalent of sixty miles to help achieve the challenge of circumnavigating the globe – or completing 24,901.55 miles – without leaving Essex.